Max w. SANCHEZ
Flight Officer - T-121464

Max W. Sanchez was born in Los Angeles and attended school there as a youth. He joined the US Army Air Corps sometime before June 1942. He completed advanced glider training in the 15-place Waco CG-4A cargo glider at Dalhart Army Air Base, Dalhart, Texas in Class 43-4, but graduated from South Plains Army Flying School at Lubbock, Texas on 27 February 1943. At the graduation ceremony he was presented with his sterling silver “G” wings and promoted to Flight Officer, a wartime rank equivalent to the Arm’’s warrant officer, junior grade.

After completing tactical glider training at Bowman Field, Kentucky, and Laurinburg-Maxton Army Air Base, North Carolina, he was sent to Pope Field, North Carolina, where he was assigned to the 76th Troop Carrier Squadron, 435th Troop Carrier Group, 53rd Troop Carrier Wing. He was transferred overseas by ship in October 1943, landing in Scotland. The 435th was initially assigned to Langer Airdrome (Station 490) on 3 November 1943, but moved to Welford Park Airdrome (Station 474) on 25 January 44. Max flew the Normandy mission on 6 June 1944, landing his glider safely and was evacuated back to England.

On 5 August 1944, Flight Officers Tally, Short, Krueger, Pemberton, De May, Sanchez, Hall, Place, Colston, Fowler, Duncan and Davis, A. S. were placed on detached service to Italy, but the unit they were assigned to in Italy was not listed in a 76th TCS report following the Southern France Invasion on 15 August 1944. Sanchez flew the Southern France mission but was killed in action 15 August 1944 when his glider apparently crashed into an obstacle on the landing zone. He is buried in the Rhone American Cemetery in Draguignan, France, in Plot AT-6-68. His last known address was 2806 Lincoln Park Avenue in Los Angeles, California.